Inner Worlds: Erling Kagge
Trekking the North Pole, South Pole, and the summit of Mount Everest on foot – and as the first to reach all three – Erling Kagge’s curiosity and penchant for risk-taking has taken him to some of the most extreme environments on earth. A prolific Renaissance man who can lay claim to an array of titles, the Norwegian polar explorer, publisher, author, lawyer and mountaineer is also known as a dedicated art collector – amassing a vast collection of contemporary works with an anarchic undercurrent.
For this episode of Inner Worlds, Kagge invites Art Basel to his home in Oslo, where he surrounds himself with works by Jana Euler, Torbjørn Rødland, Martine Syms, and Olafur Eliasson, among others. Directed by Emilie Norenberg, the film explores the overlap between his adventures and his ventures into art – where geological specimens gathered from distant territories are displayed alongside rare pieces credited to some of the art world’s greatest talents. “When I started collecting art, I didn’t have any focus on collecting artists that related to my expeditions,” Kagge says, “but in retrospect, I’ve collected a lot of art that relates to nature”.
Sharing the insights that underscore his expeditions and artistic inclinations, Kagge’s personal philosophy extends beyond his acquisition of art to a broader understanding of existence: “There are many ways to live a good life,” he says, “but I think the most important is also the oldest advice – that is to keep your pleasures simple.”
Works from the Kagge Collection are on view at Kode Bergen until 9 June 2024 for ‘Composition for the Left Hand’, curated by Marta Kuzma
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